The Internet headline blared, "Move over quinoa, freekeh is the new superfood."

Whoa! I was just beginning to appreciate quinoa (KEEN-wah), the tiny red or white seeds that are vitamin-rich and high in protein. In the past few months, feeling adventurous, I've used quinoa in tabbouleh and ordered it in other salads at local restaurants. So, I was surprised that freekeh (FREE-kah), another whole grain, had already usurped Queen Quinoa.

But that website headline hooked my attention and sent me deeper into the world of ancient grains.

The Mayo Clinic website defines superfoods as those that meet at least three of the following criteria:

Good or excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

High in phytonutrients and antioxidant compounds, such as vitamins A and E and beta carotene.

May help reduce risk of heart disease and other health conditions.

Low in calorie density, meaning you get a larger portion size with a fewer number of calories.

Almonds, apples, blueberries and salmon are often cited as superfoods. And now many of the ancient grains are joining their ranks.

Unlike white rice and bleached white flour, the ancients are grains that have been relatively ignored by technology and remain whole. Well, almost whole. Technically, a whole grain would have all three of its layers -- germ, endosperm and bran -- unaltered.

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In "Main Grains" (Rodale 2012), Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough acknowledge that it's a cheat to rail against white rice as processed and short on food value when almost all whole grains -- the ancients included -- are also processed to some degree to make them edible and digestible.

The authors' term is "culinary whole grains" or this mouthful: "as-whole-as-is-feasible grains." The abbreviated "whole grains" is good enough for me for this category of carbs.

My mission then was to figure out how I could incorporate attractive ancients -- some of which require long cooking times -- into my weeknight dinner menu, particularly during these more hectic holiday weeks, and still get a tasty and interesting entree on the table within about 30 minutes.

Where white rice or plain pasta had been the quick base for a saucy chicken dish or sweet-and-sour pork, could I sub a whole grain and get a nutritional bump in the same amount of time?

In many cases, oh, yes!

I started with freekeh, a durum wheat that is harvested young, sun-dried and then set on fire. The result is a rice-sized grain with an earthy, slightly smoky taste that is high in protein and fiber.

I used it in a spicy combo with prunes, apricots and pine nuts and topped it with pork -- and met my weeknight deadline. The grain cooked in 20 to 25 minutes, and it was wonderful. Leftovers were even better with the addition of wilted fresh spinach. Another time, we liked freekeh plain as a slightly chewy and absorbent base for sweet-and-sour pork.

Freekeh's only flaw is availability. Whole Foods in St. Paul is the only local source I've found in the Twin Cities (All Natural Freekeh is $4.39 for 8 ounces). Otherwise, it's sold online.

Next, I was afraid I was fooled by pearled farro, another old wheat, when I learned that pearled (sometimes listed as perlato) is just a pretty term for processed. It means the hull is removed. That does shorten the cooking time -- good news -- and apparently does not shortchange the protein or fiber content -- even better news. When I revised a recipe for black beans and rice, we thought the farro added more texture and flavor than plain white rice.

I found farro at Whole Foods (Montebello Organic Farro Perlato is $4.99 for 16 ounces).

I experimented with five other whole grains: Here's my rundown on these complex carbohydrates:

Amaranth: These tiny beige seeds (technically from a broad-leaf plant, not grass) cook in 15 to 20 minutes. The result is a slightly sweet and earthy taste and a starchy texture that reminded me of Cream of Wheat. Amaranth is not absorbent like some other grains, so it's best in soups like Amaranth, Quinoa and Corn Chowder (recipe follows). (Arrowhead Mills Organic Whole Grain Amaranth is $4.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods.)

Barley: Hulled (or hull-less) barley has only the outer hull removed, and that means it takes 45 minutes or longer to cook. Slightly nutty tasting, it's a classic addition to soups and stews, but we're saving this more-time-demanding grain for weekend use. (Widely available. Red Mill Hull-less Barley is $2.77 for 26 ounces at Cub.)

Bulgur: Hulled wheat berries are dried and cracked, thus a little less nutritionally dense than some of the other grains. But bulgur is the busy cook's friend, cooking in as little as 5 minutes. (Widely available. Red Mill Quick Cook Bulgur is $4.17 for 28 ounces at Cub.)

Millet: These very tiny yellow grains cook in 18 to 20 minutes. They have a decidedly cornlike taste, which I emphasized by adding whole corn to a pilaf (recipe follows). We thought it made a great base for a spicy chicken and tomato stew. (Widely available. Arrowhead Mills Millet is $3.67 for 28 ounces at Cub.)

Quinoa: Tiny red or white seeds (another broad-leaf plant, not grass) unwraps a bit when cooked. Taking only 10 to 15 minutes to cook, quinoa has a grassy but very mild taste. It subs well in recipes that call for couscous. (Widely available. Arrowhead Mills Organic Quinoa is $5.99 for 14 ounces at Cub.)

COOKING NOTES

"Main Grains" authors caution to drop grains into boiling water and then reduce the heat to a gentle bubble, especially during the last 10 minutes; otherwise, the grains can turn to mush. I wish I'd read this advice before cooking my first batch of farro. The temp was too high and the boil too fast, so the grains lost a little of their shape.

RECIPES

CHICKEN WITH BULGUR AND WALNUTS

We skipped the chutney in this recipe, one of our new favorites, and sprinkled the finished product with raisins as well as the walnuts. Recipe adapted from "The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook" by Judith Finlayson (Robert Rose, 2008).

To cook chicken: In skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onions begin to turn golden. Add chicken, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add stock. Bring to a boil. Add bulgur. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until bulgur is heated through and has absorbed liquid in pan.

To add grains: Stir in amaranth and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in quinoa and thyme. Return to a boil. Reduce heat slightly. Cook at a gentle boil, partially covered, for 10 minutes.

To finish soup: Meanwhile, in blender or food processor, puree 3 cups corn kernels with 1 cup water. Stir corn puree and remaining corn kernels into soup. Add salt to taste. Reduce heat. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes or until quinoa and amaranth are tender. (Note: When quinoa is done, there will be no starchy white dot in center of each grain and some little tails may unfurl. Amaranth will look like tiny white bubbles floating on surface.) Stir in milk and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add more salt, if needed.